


Better Than the Alternative

by TaraHarkon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-06 00:05:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5395238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaraHarkon/pseuds/TaraHarkon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Ladybug!”<br/>Chat Noir’s scream ripped through the air as he dropped to his knees, entirely heedless of the Akuma’s laughter. It didn’t matter now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Than the Alternative

_“Ladybug!”_  
Chat Noir’s scream ripped through the air as he dropped to his knees, entirely heedless of the Akuma’s laughter. It didn’t matter now. He cradled her head in his lap, his hands shaking as he tried to clean the blood from her face.  
“Are…are you crying, Chat?”  
“Why? Why did you…?”  
“You protect me all the time, Chat. It was my turn this time.”  
She winced and gave him a weak smile. They both heard the beep and he lifted her into his arms.  
“You’re going to be okay, Ladybug. I promise. I promise everything’s going to be fine. We just have to get away from here first.”  
He wasn’t sure where they could go as he jumped onto a nearby roof, still holding her tight. They weren’t far from his house, he supposed, but he’d have to get past the security and there could be complications. Plus, he wasn’t sure how badly hurt she was. What if he went to someone he knew they could trust? Someone who had helped them in the past. Quickly scanning his surroundings, he set a course for his favorite bakery.

* * *

 When he dropped onto the balcony, he set Ladybug down.  
“I’ll be right back. I just need to see if she’s in.”  
She started to say something and then seemed to change her mind. Chat shrugged it off, assuming it was her usual fear about someone finding out who they are. Quickly, he poked his head in through the trapdoor.  
“Marinette, are you in here?”  
His whisper carried but there was no response and he frowned. Well, she was probably out. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be too surprised to find the superhero duo in her bedroom when she got back. Going back to Ladybug, he scooped her up in his arms around, cradling her close to his chest.  
“No one home, my lady, we’re all clear.”  
He set her on the bed, looking around to see if there was anything he could use as bandages.  
“There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom.”  
Her voice was quiet. He went to go grab it, resolving to ask later how she knew where things were in Marinette’s room. When he got back, she was paler still. Too pale. And the blood was showing through the front of her costume. He heard that quiet beep again and she looked up at him.  
“I’m sorry I lied, Chat.”  
“What? What are you-“  
Talking about. That was what he was going to ask. But that was when the transformation faded and he dove forward to catch Marinette Dupin-Cheng before she could fall. His mind went blank. His lady was Marinette. Quiet, shy Marinette who sat behind him in class was his partner. There were so many things he wanted to say, to do. But he couldn’t yet, not until he was sure she was alright. He laid her back down on the bed and quietly apologized before pulling her shirt up enough that he could see that gash that ran across her stomach. It was bad, but not as bad as it could have been. He dropped his own transformation, not wanting to have claws while he was working. Plagg hovered near his shoulder and when Adrien glanced up briefly he realized that his erstwhile kwami was making himself useful by keeping Marinette’s calm. Good. He was glad she’d blacked out as he started trying to figure out the best way to patch her up.  
“All kwamis need to eat to transform, right?”  
A plan was forming in his mind as he remembered all times he’d gotten hurt and had the minor wounds fade before he’d even gotten home.  
“Well yeah, of course.”  
“Then go find you both something to eat, Plagg. I’ll do what I can and then we’re going to have to get her to transform again and hope she heals the rest of the way.”  
The two kwamis zipped out of the room, down into the bakery itself. Adrien grabbed the gauze and started in on trying to get this cut to stay closed. He didn’t realize that he was keeping up a quiet stream of encouragement for her, even though she couldn’t hear it.

* * *

 Marinette was aware of the smell of baking bread as she swam back up out of the darkness. It was so utterly normal that she half wondered if her day hadn’t been a horrible nightmare. Then she tried to sit up and gasped in pain. There was a hand on her shoulder, pushing her down.  
“Stay still. I’m not sure how good my bandaging is…”  
She opened her eyes and found that she was staring into the bright green eyes of Adrien Agreste. Her memories of the day finally caught up with her fully as he spoke again.  
“Feeling any better, my lady?”  
 _“Chat?”_  
He brushed her hair back from her forehead.  
“I’m sorry I know you didn’t want to know, but…It seemed better than the alternative.”  
“You…you’re not disappointed that I’m Ladybug?”  
“Not in the slightest.”  
Tikki came flying into the room then, looking frantic still. Following after her was what Marinette could only assume was Adrien’s kwami. Adrien smiled, looking relieved to see them both.  
“Transform again. That should help you heal faster.”  
“Tikki?”  
A moment later, Ladybug was the one laying on Marinette’s bed. She could still feel the bandages under her costume but the pain was lessening slightly. Looking up, she saw real concern in Adrien’s eyes and smiled, trying to reassure.  
“Better. I promise.”  
He sat beside her and sighed a little.  
“So, I guess we should talk.”  
She leaned against him.  
“Later. Not now.” Then after a long pause. “We do still need go defeat-“  
“I know, but not yet. Not until you can stand.”  
“Adrien?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Thanks. For everything.”  
“Always, my lady.” 


End file.
